OSHA recently released its 10 most frequently cited violations in 2017.

Fall protection: 6,072 citations—Falls from ladders and roofs still account for the majority of injuries at work, and the first step in eliminating or reducing falls is to identify all hazards and decide how to best protect employees.

Hazard communication: 4,176 citations—This standard governs hazard communication to employees about chemicals that are both produced or imported into the workplace. Most violations concern the failure to develop a written hazard training program or failure to provide a Safety Data Sheet for all workplace chemicals.

The deadline to submit your OSHA 300A information electronically is December 31st, 2017. For the first time ever, OSHA will have its teeth into some very compelling data about your organization's safety program.

Who does this impact?

Establishments with 250 or more employees and establishments with 20-249 employees that are classified in certain industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses will be required to submit the information off of the company’s 300A forms.

Yesterday was the final day that the Texas lawsuit against the OSHA anti-retaliation and discrimination rule could have pushed off the rule to a later date. However, a judge denied the preliminary injunction that would have delayed the enforcement from taking effect as scheduled. As a result of this ruling. the final rule went into effect on December 1, 2016.

The rule was originally scheduled to take effect on August 10, but OSHA extended the enforcement deadline to November 1 due to the fact that employer groups filed a lawsuit in July seeking to block the rule.

In mid-October the judge in this case asked the employer groups and the government to agree to delay the effective date for one more month so that the parties would have time to fully brief the issues. OSHA has now delayed for a second time the enforcement date of this reporting rule to December 1.

On May 11, 2016, OSHA issued its final ruling to expand electronic recordkeeping requirements for workplace injuries and illnesses and make such records publicly available. More than three million workers suffer a workplace injury or illness each year causing OSHA to implement this new ruling and encourage employers to improve their safety practices.

CHRIS TANKE Relationship Manager

If you’re a football fan, you know that the role of the left tackle is to protect the QB from the pass rushers coming in from his blind side. Typically the defense positions their most dangerous pass rushers on the blind side of the Quarterback to maximize the potential for an impact play (sack, fumble, or interception). Thus, while the left tackle most likely will never pass, run, or throw the ball, he is one of the most important offensive players on the field.